U14 Girls v Letchworth Garden City Eagles (away), League - 24.9.11

Another fine September morning greeted both teams as they arrived at the home of Letchworth Eagles. The pitch was in fine condition, the short turf providing a beautiful playing surface that looked sure to suit Stortford's passing game.
The opening minutes were competitive, an early chance falling to a breaking Inka whose shot passed wide of the left hand post. Scarlett forced a save from the Eagles keeper as another chance showed that the blues were starting to take control. In usual style the back four dealt with any threats calmly and with great skill, passing out to the midfield or retaining possession. In attack the team were equally in control, working for openings without panic, prising a chance through a deep set opposition. Abigail wriggled through and set up a chance for Faye that went high. The first goal was worth the wait, intricate passing between Scarlett and Inka on the edge of the box sent Scarlett through to billow the net.
Rewarded with a goal, Stortford continued to work hard, Louise in particular having a blinder at left back.  The chances were coming regularly but as the game headed for half-time, all went high or wide of the target and the single goal remained the difference at the break.
'Same again please' was the half-time request. With the quality so high the goals were bound to come and another duly did after sustained pressure. Hannah and Elly combined well on the left to create a shooting chance, the deflected shot falling to Inka who made it 2-0 to the visitors.
Simi replaced Tia up front as Stortford sought a third goal. Scarlett shot sweetly with the outside of the right foot, well saved by the Letchworth's goalie - Inka rained in another, again saved, but the third shot was sent home by Inka as she pounced with the keeper out of position. Hannah had a double chance saved before Ellie-Mae who had moved to centre-back, collected the ball deep in her own half and surged forward, slaloming through midfield and defence before rounding the keeper and planting the ball home - a devastating solo run that brought the score to 4-0.
Inka hit the cross-bar from a free-kick later in the half right hand side.
Ellie-Mae corner right, over the keeper, Tia blasts home.
No more goals but plenty of sublime play entertained the touchline to the close - Ellie-Mae ripped open the right side of the defence repeatedly, on one occasion sending in a cross that just evaded two arriving strikers and Abigail seeing her effort slip wide. The last chance came to Ellie-Mae, Scarlett and Inka again unpicking the lock, but Ellie's shot could only hit the post.
A quality performance all-round. On to the next.

Result: won 0-5
Scorers: Inka (2), Scarlett, Ellie-Mae, Tia
Team: Skye, Simi, Louise, Emily (c), Tyler, Scarlett, Inka, Faye, Ellie-Mae, Abigail, Tia
Subs: Elly, Hannah

U14 Girls v Watford Ladies (home), League - 17.9.11

The start of the season is always an exciting time and the skies above Freidberg Avenue bathed the pitches in glorious autumnal sunshine as teams assembled for the first forays. With the Under 13s and 14s playing simultaneously on adjacent pitches the air was filled with cheers and applause all morning.
Stortford took to the field in a 442 formation to take on Watford Ladies and playing uphill, they quickly took command.
Tia was first to get an opportunity, though was unable to convert an early one on one. The ball was scrambled away and Scarlett picked up the loose ball but but couldn't quite find the target from distance.
The next chance came from a corner - Ellie-Mae to Scarlett, back to Ellie-Mae who sent in a ball that Inka just failed to get good contact on.M Sc corner.
Watford managed a quick break but this was quickly dealt with by the defence who took possession then worked the ball away, finding Ellie-Mae who made a trademark surging run forward. Ellie was instrumental by the same route shortly after, sliding down the right and crossing to Abigail. With a deft touch Abigail lifted the ball over the defence with perfect weight for Tia to run-on to and finish neatly round the keeper. 1-0 to the Blues
Scarlett showed some great footwork in midfield and had another attempt from distance, but it was a corner that double the lead. This time Ellie-Mae sent the ball deep and long, Abigail meeting the ball with a sweet volley that made it 2-0.
First substitutions now, Scarlett and Ellie-Mae retiring to make way for Abby and Faye. Another Watford break was again dissipated by Emily who stood firm in the centre of defence all morning.
Bishop's Stortford further consolidated their lead with a landmark effort from Inka who shot from distance into the top left hand corner to score her 100th goal for the club. 3-0.
Scarlett took over from Inka now as the game headed towards half-time.An offside whistle denied the team a fourth goal for only a couple of minutes, Ellie-Mae picking up the ball in midfield and dribbling through - her first shot saved but she made sure with a second attempt the slid between keeper and post. 4-0.
The fifth was another that came direct from a corner - Scarlett swinging the ball in from the right which Abby was on hand to tuck home.
As the minutes ticked down to the break, there was a slight tendency to over dribble and take pot-shots from distance, perhaps understandable at the end of a long, uphill half that had produced five goals.

The team started the second half with the same formula as the finished with the half, though changes quickly brough Tyler on for Emily and Inka on up front for Tia. Scarlett and Inka, the two re-united midfield maestros combined in beautiful passing play to produce the sixth goal of the game, Scarlett sending the final pass onto Inka who stroked home. 6-0
Tired Watford legs and lowering heads brought further space in the game, exploited by Abigail in a move down the left that saw her cross planted home by Faye for her second of the game. 7-0.
Louise and Elly combined to win the ball in the next scoring attack, passing it onto Abigail whose final pass left Inka to beat the keeper for her hat-trick. 8-0.
The pair reversed roles for the ninth, Inka picking out Abigail to blast home her second of the game, with the final score coming again via Inka who ran down the right and crossed to Faye who rammed home to take the score to double figures.
A terrific first league outing against new opposition and one that puts down a marker to the rest of the league. Letchworth next week. Hold onto your hats, we are off and running!

Result: won 10-0
Scorers: Inka (3), Abigail (2), Faye (2), Abby, Ellie-Mae, Tia
Squad: Skye, Simi, Louise, Emily (c), Tyler, Scarlett, Inka, Elly, Ellie-Mae, Abigail, Tia
Subs: Abby, Faye

HGFPL Pre-season Tournament

Despite best efforts, no pre-season friendlies could be arranged this year, so the HGFPL Pre-season Tournament provided our one and only opportunity to find our form. An early start took us to Welwyn Garden City, in the shadow of the A1(M) and mere yards from the Roman baths discovered when the road was built.
Five teams had assembled for the U14 11 a side tournament; Bedwell Rangers, Bury Rangers, Hampstead, Watford Ladies and ourselves. The first phase was to play each other, with the most successful two teams, playing off a final.
The red clad Bedwell Rangers provided our first opposition and though the 20 minute game zipped by without a goal, it wasn't for want of trying and our goalkeeper was entirely unemployed save for two goal-kicks.
Our second match was an entirely different affair, the talented Bury Rangers matching us attack for attack until one, then two opportunities were taken by their strikers to give them a 2-0 win.
Hampstead were up next, a number of Americans in their team from the international school suggesting a good pedigree. They put up a good show and had a couple of sharp forwards to tease our defence, but a goal from Inka finally broke the blue's tournament duck and bagged the points 1-0.
Our last game was against Watford, with a good win likely to secure a final berth. Stortford confidence was growing from the Hampstead win and with Scarlett and Inka paired in midfield, the girls took control of the game. The pair also picked up the two goals that were enough for victory and a place in the final.
Bury Rangers awaited us, no doubt confident after their earlier victory. With Scarlett sidelined after an injury in the Watford game, the girls needed to dig deep. They duly did with terrific performances across the park. Tremendous defence kept Bury at bay, Tyler catching the eye with another one on one defensive job that stifled their pacey striker. On our front foot we looked dangerous against an at times tentative defence and when Inka found the net with six minutes to go Stortford set about defending their lead. A couple of terrifically important saves from Skye continued to keep an increasingly desperate Bury off the scoresheet and at the final whistle, blue cheers celebrated another tournament victory.
An extremely useful day then that saw Hannah make her debut for the team, the whole squad blow away some cobwebs and Bishop's Stortford's Under 14 Girls team carry off another trophy.

Squad: Skye, Emily (c), Tyler, Simi, Louise, Scarlett, Inka, Abigail, Ellie-Mae, Abby, Elly, Faye, Tia, Hannah
Results: 0-0 draw v Bedwell Rangers, 2-0 loss v Bury Rangers, 1-0 win v Hampstead (Inka) , 2-0 win v Watford Ladies (Scarlett, Inka) - FINAL 1-0 win v Bury Rangers